The Cavern
Rock & Words
THE SPIDERS
“The time has come for me to say 'goodbye
it's all'I looked along to see the end
now you can take me back”
“C”
Main Decade: 70’s
Main Eras:
70s Latin American Rock
Key Members:
Tony Vierling, Vocals
Reynaldo “El Tucky” Díaz, Lead Guitar
Servando Ayala, Keyboards
Enrique Chaurand, Drums
Manuel Olivera, Bass
Key Songs:
Back, Just, One Of Those Days, Run Run, Walkin’ Blues, Won’t Be Comin’ Home Tonight, I’m A Man, Now, People Deceive, Love Is The Way, I’m So Glad, For You, A Wither Shade Of Pale
The Spiders are perhaps the most representative and important band of 70s Mexican Rock. Unfortunately, they are little known today, overshadowed by more mediocre and complacent bands like El Tri. The Spiders emerged in the early sixties and started out like everyone else, playing covers of imported rock. That initial lineup already included Reynaldo Díaz “El Tucky” on guitar and Manuel Olivera on bass. As time went on, they evolved their sound a bit towards the blues, and their fame began to spread through afternoon dances and schools in Guadalajara. Later, there would be changes in the lineup, with Servando Ayala replacing Chon Cortéz on keyboards, Enrique Chaurand replacing Guillermo Olivera on drums, and Tony Vierling replacing Carlos Regil on vocals, essentially forming a musical dream team. The rest, as they say, is history...
But if you don't know it, I have no problem telling it. By 1969, they were already the biggest band in the western part of the country. Since the Dug Dugs had just achieved success with their first LP, record labels fought over their services, and so they went into the studio to record their debut album, "Back." It has blues influences, but the keyboard sound is prominent, especially on the title track, which features bright, psychedelic keyboard textures, more reminiscent of the Animals' brilliance than the Doors' darkness. Tony Vierling's voice is one of the band's defining characteristics. Even back then, it sounded fresh, clear, with impeccable pronunciation (I thought he was American, not just because of his last name), and quite powerful. Tony knew how to inject intensity into the songs without shouting. He had a timbre perfectly suited to the typical hard rock bands that dominated the US at the time, sometimes raspy, but never grating. A clear voice, with low tones, but capable of modulating to reach very high notes, always with perfect consistency. Tony, I must say, is my all-time favorite Mexican vocalist. And he resisted the temptation to launch a solo career for quite some time without abandoning his band, even though he could have become a balladeer bathed in green. Thanks to his tenacity and loyalty to his bandmates, the Spiders never betrayed their style and lasted for decades, something that must be acknowledged.
But let's get back to the music. "Back" is undoubtedly their most representative song. It's practically a circle with some variations, where the keyboard takes center stage with a few precise guitar flourishes. Legend has it that it's a cover of an old blues song, but nothing could be further from the truth. Unlike "The House of the Rising Sun" by the Animals, this is a genuine original song by the group, with psychedelic touches, different guitar arrangements, and a seemingly simple drum track that, together, creates that magic capable of making a song immortal. Tony's lyrics aren't overly complex or philosophical, but they're not corny either, and his English pronunciation is simply exquisite. I've already mentioned his vocal abilities. Although he doesn't push himself too hard, mostly staying in mid-range tones, his voice is clear and deep, and every word is understandable despite the production shortcomings of this first album. A fantastic track, without a doubt, although in my opinion, it's not their best work. The album was released in Germany, earning gold records, and catapulted them to fame in Mexico, surpassing even the already famous Dug Dugs. This album also paved the way for other bands from Guadalajara, starting with Revo, who would soon follow in their footsteps.
In '71, they were among the headliners at the Avándaro Festival, and in '73 they released their second LP, "Nuevas Rutas del Sonido" (New Routes of Sound), this one with much better production. Tucky had already become the absolute star of the band's music, following Servando's departure on keyboards, essentially becoming one of the great virtuosos of the requinto guitar in Mexico. On this album, the instrumental sounds are much clearer. The band's greater maturity is evident as they move away somewhat from psychedelic sounds. The lyrics don't delve into social issues, but they are incisive, melancholic, and bluesy, but treated with more delicacy and poetry. This album features my favorite song, “Just One of Those Days,” a bluesy, introspective ballad with incredibly melancholic lyrics and guitar work. I don't know how Vierling manages to have that kind of voice that seems unremarkable, yet is so full of expressiveness that it truly breaks your heart to hear him sing this song. And it's not about lost love or anything like that. I love the lyrics because they simply describe one of those days when you feel like crap without even knowing why. And Tucky's guitar is a machine of slow, perfect notes that add even more melancholy to the song, without repeating or copying anything I've heard before. The rest of the album ranges from harmonious and melodic hard rock to power ballads that Grand Funk would have loved to write, and blues rock with a novel and interesting approach that's not only original for Mexico, but for rock worldwide. I can't really say they sound like this or that American band. The Spiders, at least on this album, don't create a genre, but they manage to take the best from several genres to create 12 true gems of world rock. None of them are filler, none are boring, none sound alike. The lyrics aren't entirely silly. They don't address foolish themes in the Delta Blues style, but rather attempt a certain introspection and depth that sometimes isn't fully achieved, but which doesn't detract from the band in any way and is even better than that of certain American bands in the same genre. On the other hand, it's a shame that Servando left, one of the best keyboardists in Mexico, who would later join Revo and Fachada de Piedra for a time, but his departure allowed Tucky to shine even brighter, solidifying his furious, creative guitar playing, always full of blues and arrangements that can only be attributed to a virtuoso. Yes, I even consider him better than Markovich, who despite being Argentinian, has always been a watershed moment for rock in Mexico.
I consider the Spiders one of the best bands this country has ever produced, just above Revo, and only slightly below Real de Catorce. Unfortunately, they're almost forgotten these days. They've lived modestly from gigs here and there. Tucky, for example, spent his last days earning more as the best electric guitar and amplifier repairman in the city than from his music. But no one can take away their place in history for those of us who have listened to a Spiders album, or for those of us who got to see them live.
The Spiders recorded one last live album, featuring their greatest hits, at the now-defunct Salón Osiris in the early 90s. I suppose it was the same concert as the one on 39.4, but I'm not entirely sure. Far from sounding tired or overly commercial, the guitar was more distorted, the vocals were in top form, and the drums were phenomenal after Chaurand's return to the band. In short, a mature band that sounded incredibly relevant, without losing an ounce of the songs' spirit, but rather rejuvenating and even substantially improving them. And that's something I haven't heard from any other band from the seventies playing in the nineties, whether from China or England. They did a new arrangement of "Back," entirely on guitar, which confirms the lead guitarist's talent. Also from this recording, "I'm a Man" stands out.
Tony Vierling finally recorded his solo album. I don't remember exactly if it was in the late nineties or early 2000s. However, he did it when it was no longer a betrayal of his longtime bandmates. I heard that he went to the USA for a while and later returned. The band was becoming less active, but the members had their own businesses and would occasionally get together to play here and there.
Reynaldo Diaz, "Tucky," died in January 2008. A few newspapers barely mentioned him. The Spiders reunited in April for a tribute concert near the Ex-Convent of Carmen. The usual funeral trappings for rock stars weren't really necessary. Possibly the best lead guitarist Mexico has ever produced, Tucky was quietly honored by the cream of his generation, bringing together the best musicians the country has ever seen for a party of authentic rock, exactly as he would have wanted. And with his death, it can be said that the Spiders, a myth, a nearly forgotten legend, finally came to an end. A band that, had they been born in any other country, would have reached the pinnacle of fame. But they were always proud to be Mexican, and more specifically, from Guadalajara. They never betrayed rock. They revolutionized the way music was made in this country and created a school of thought that would be revived many years later. That's why this band is great. That's why I recommend them, and I recommend that others recommend them.
Back... Take me back...
By Corvan
Jan/15/2009
